Soldier, 16-Year-Old Charged in Death of Fort Drum Corporal Found Shot, Buried Under Snow

An Army soldier and a 16-year-old boy have been charged in the murder of Hayden Harris, a corporal at Fort Drum, New York who was found dead in New Jersey.

Jamaal Mellish, 23, and the unidentified teenager face felony murder, kidnapping and second-degree weapons charges, according to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Jamaal Mellish

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Harris, 20, was found shot to death and buried under snow in a wooded area of Byram Township on Dec. 19. Shortly before his death, Harris had been reported missing.

Hayden Harris

Firefighters discovered the body after they saw debris and blood along a roadway during an annual Santa ride.

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Investigators said that Mellish was supposed to exchange a Ford Mustang with Harris for a Chevy pickup truck. The two had had a previous transaction, police said.

According to a Sussex County assistant prosecutor, authorities believe Mellish “abducted” Harris during the planned vehicle exchange.

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